d fled, leaving him almost alone not a hundred yards from the
enemy. A stray shot at that moment might have influenced greatly modern
history, for, as events were soon to show, Washington was the mainstay
of the American cause. He too had to get away and Howe's force landed
easily enough. Meanwhile, on the west shore of the island, there was an
animated scene. The roads were crowded with refugees fleeing northward
from New York. These civilians Howe had no reason to stop, but there
marched, too, out of New York four thousand men, under Israel Putnam,
who got safely away northward. Only leisurely did Howe extend his
line across the island so as to cut off the city. The story, not more
trustworthy than many other legends of war, is that Mrs. Murray, living
in a country house near what now is Murray Hill, invited the General
to luncheon, and that to enjoy this pleasure he ordered a halt for his
whole force. Generals sometimes do foolish things but it is not easy to
call up a picture of Howe, in the midst of a busy movement of troops,
receiving the lady's invitation, accepting it, and ordering the whole
army to halt while he lingered over the luncheon table. There is no
doubt that his mind was still divided between making war and making
peace. Probably Putnam had already got away his men, and there was no
purpose in stopping the refugees in that flight from New York which so
aroused the pity of Washington. As it was Howe took sixty-seven guns.
By accident, or, it is said, by design of the Americans themselves, New
York soon took fire and one-third of the little city was burned.

After the fall of New York there followed a complex campaign. The
resourceful Washington was now, during his first days of active warfare,
pitting himself against one of the most experienced of British generals.
Fleet and army were acting together. The aim of Howe was to get control
of the Hudson and to meet half way the advance from Canada by way of
Lake Champlain which Carleton was leading. On the 12th of October, when
autumn winds were already making the nights cold, Howe moved. He did
not attack Washington who lay in strength at the Harlem. That would
have been to play Washington's game. Instead he put the part of his army
still on Long Island in ships which then sailed through the dangerous
currents of Hell Gate and landed at Throg's Neck, a peninsula on the
sound across from Long Island. Washington parried this movement by so
guarding the narro